Rack mounted component door system and method

ABSTRACT

A rack mounted component door system according to the present invention is used in conjunction with a conventional equipment rack to secure components in the rack and to provide access to features of the components positioned away from the front side of the rack. The component door system includes two hinge assemblies that can be attached directly to two opposing vertical members of the front side of a conventional rack. The component door system also includes a panel that can be of conventional configuration or tailored for the component door system. The panel is attached to the two hinge assemblies to extend between the two front side vertical members of the rack.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority benefit of provisional application Ser.No. 60/646,322 filed Jan. 21, 2005.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to the field of equipment racks,and more particularly to the field of component support provided by suchracks.

2. Description of the Related Art

Racks, frames, cabinets and the like (referred to generally herein as“racks”) support computer and other electronic equipment and doors andpanels (referred to generally herein as “components”). The racks and thecomponents are mutually sized to accommodate placement of the componentswithin the racks. Racks can include vertical members generally spaced aselected standardized distance from one another and cross-membersextending between the vertical members. Both the vertical members andthe cross-members can have attachment points where the components aresecured. These attachment points can include holes to receive bolts,which may be used along with nuts for securing the components.

The racks are typically positioned so that a side of the rack (referredto generally herein as the “backside”) is either against a wall of aroom or against the backside of another rack. The side of a subject rack(referred to generally herein as the “front side”) opposite its backsidecan provide access to the components supported by the rack since thefront side of the rack generally faces outward into a room away from awall or another rack that is adjacent to the subject rack. Thecomponents can include patch panels extending between the verticalmembers along the front side of the racks. These patch panels can haveslots and other openings for mounting of patch blocks supportingmultiple connectors and other items for access from the front side ofthe racks. The panels are generally securely fastened to the verticalmembers, and the patch blocks or individual connectors or other devicesare securely fastened to the panels

Unfortunately, the components can have features that cannot be accessedfrom the front side of the rack. These features may be accessed from thebackside of the racks, which is troublesome unless the backside of theracks are easily accessible. However, if the racks are positioned sothat their backsides are against a wall or against a backside of anotherrack, access to these components features can be problematic.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

FIG. 1 is an isometric diagram illustrating an implementation of acomponent door according to the present invention in a closed positionshown attached to portions of a conventional rack.

FIG. 2 is an isometric diagram of the component door of FIG. 1 in amidway open position.

FIG. 3 is an isometric diagram of the component door of FIG. 1 in afully open position.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, isometric view of the hinge assembly of thecomponent door of FIG. 1 shown in the closed position.

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the hinge assembly of FIG. 4 shownin the closed position.

FIG. 6 is an isometric view of the hinge assembly of FIG. 4 shown in themidway open position.

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the hinge assembly of FIG. 4 shownin the midway open position.

FIG. 8 is an isometric view of the hinge assembly of FIG. 4 shown in thefully open position.

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of the hinge assembly of FIG. 4 shownin the fully open position.

FIG. 10 is a first exploded isometric view of the hinge assembly of FIG.4.

FIG. 11 is a second exploded isometric view of the hinge assembly ofFIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A component door system according to the present invention is used inconjunction with a conventional component rack to secure components inthe rack and to provide access to features of the components positionedaway from the front side of the rack. The component door system includestwo hinge assemblies that can be attached directly to two opposingvertical members of the front side of a conventional rack. The componentdoor system includes a panel that can be of conventional configurationor tailored for the component door system. The panel is attached to thetwo hinge assemblies to extend between the two front side verticalmembers of the rack.

Opposing conventional vertical racks members 10 having a front side 11with bolt holes for receiving attachment of conventional components (notshown) and associated panels (not shown) are shown in FIG. 1 as havingan implementation of a component door system 100 according to thepresent invention attached thereto.

The component door system 100 includes two hinge assemblies 102, eachattached to opposing vertical rack members 10 with a panel 104 attachedto and extend between the two hinge assemblies. The panel 104 can be ofconventional design or can be configured particularly for the componentdoor system 100. As shown, the panel 104 includes holes 106 for use withbolt-nut assemblies 107 (shown in FIG. 2) to attach the panel to thehinge assemblies 102. The panel 104 further includes holes 108 toreceive bolt-nut assemblies (not shown) for attaching face plates (notshown) to the panel and includes elongated access ports 110 to receivepatch blocks, connectors or other devices (not shown) into the panel.

The two hinge assemblies 102 each include front sides 111 with holes 112to receive the bolt-nut assemblies 107 to affix the panel 104 to thehinge assemblies. A lever arm 114 is included with each of the hingeassemblies 102 to open (shown in FIG. 2 in a midway open position and inFIG. 3 is a fully open position) the hinge assemblies and the attachedpanel 104 to provide access to the component (not shown) affixed to thepanel and to subsequently close (shown in FIG. 1 in a closed position)and secure the hinge assemblies and the panel to restrict access to theattached component.

The hinge assemblies 102 each include a mobile member 116 and astationary member 118 as shown in FIG. 2. The mobile member 116 isattached to the lever arm 114 for movement therewith. The stationarymember 118 is attached to the front side 11 of the vertical rack member10 by bolt-nut assemblies (not shown) placed through mounting holes 120in the stationary member. The stationary member 118 is positionedbetween the mobile member 116 and the lever arm 114 with the mobilemember 116 movably coupled thereto so that the mobile member can moverelative to the rack 10 providing the panel 104 with a hinge actionrelative to the rack. Movable coupling occurs between the mobile member116 and the stationary member 118 because the lever arm 114 is fixedlyattached to the mobile member by a first traveller assembly 122, whichpasses through a first slotted track 124 in the stationary member, andis fixedly attached by a second traveller assembly 126, which passesthrough a second slotted track 128 in the stationary member, as shown inFIG. 4.

In operation, a force, F, is applied to a tab end 130 of each of thelever arms 114, as shown in FIG. 4. The second traveller assembly 126acts as a fulcrum such that when the force, F, is applied, the firsttraveller assembly 122 moves in a direction opposite to the force, F,which consequently, unlocks the lever arm 114 as further describedbelow. The first track 124 has a first portion 124 a, which issubstantially curved, and an upwardly extending second portion 124 b,which is substantially straight. The second track 128 has an upwardlyextending first portion 128 a, which is substantially straight, and asecond portion 128 b, which is substantially curved.

For the component door system 100 to go from the closed positiondepicted in FIGS. 1, 4, and 5 to the midway open position depicted inFIGS. 2, 6, and 7, the first screw assembly 122 follows the firstportion 124 a of the first track 124 from the closed position 124-closedof the first track (identified as 124-closed in FIG. 6) to a midwayposition 124-mid between the first portion and the second portion 124 bof the first track. During this travel of the first screw assembly 122,the second screw assembly 126 remains substantially in a closed position128-closed of the second track 128 (identified as 128-closed in FIG. 8)so that the first screw assembly 122 partially rotates (following thefirst portion 124 a of the first track 124) about the closed position128-closed of the second track whereat the second screw assembly 126 ispositioned.

For the component door system 100 to go from the midway open positiondepicted in FIGS. 2, 6, and 7 to the fully open position depicted inFIGS. 3, 8, and 9, the first screw assembly 122 and the second screwassembly 126 move together during a first stage of movement. During thisconcurrent movement, the first screw assembly 122 follows the secondportion 124 b of the first track 124 from the midway position 124-mid toan open position 124-open of the first track. Also during thisconcurrent movement, the second screw assembly 126 moves from the closedposition 128-closed to a mid-position 128-mid of the second track 128. Asecond stage of movement is then undertaken in which the first screwassembly 122 remains stationary at the open position 124-open of thefirst track 124. During this second stage of movement, the second screwassembly 126 moves from the mid-position 128-mid of the second track 128to an open position 128-open by following the second portion 128 b ofthe second track. While the second screw assembly 126 moves along thesecond portion 128 b of the second track 128, the first travellerassembly 122 remains substantially in the open position 124-open of thefirst track 124 so that the second screw assembly 126 partially rotatesabout the open position 124-open of the first track whereat the firstscrew assembly 122 is positioned.

The curved first portion 124 a of the first track 124 extends along asubstantially circular arc with a center at the closed position128-closed of the second track 128; and the curved second portion 128 bof the second track 128 extends along a substantially circular arc witha center at the open position 124-open of the first track 124.

In the depicted implementation, as illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11, thefirst traveler assembly 122 includes a screw 132 and a spring 134 thatreceives the screw. The lever arm 114 includes a recess 136 sized toreceived and retain the spring 134 and head of the screw 132 whichretains the spring in the recess. The screw-132 passes through thespring 134 and extends out a hole 137 in the base of the recess 136. Themobile member 116 includes a threaded stem 138 that threadably receivesthe screw 132 so that the first traveler assembly 122 attaches the endportion of the lever arm 114 opposite the tab end 130 to the mobilemember 116. In the depicted embodiment, the second screw assembly 126includes a screw 140 that is inserted through a hole 142 in the leverarm 114, at a location between the screw 132 and the tab end 130 of thelever arm, and is received by a threaded stem 144 on the mobile member116 to attach the mid-portion of the lever arm to the mobile member.

The lever arm 114 further includes a laterally inward projecting lockportion 146 sized and shaped to fit into the first track 124 at theclosed position 124-closed. In the implementation depicted in FIG. 11,the lock portion 146 is square sized and larger than the first track 124except for the portion at the closed position 124-closed of the firsttrack. The spring 134 biases the lock portion 146 laterally inward intothe corresponding square sized portion of the first track 124 at theclosed position 124-closed. When the force, F, is applied to the tab end130, with the lock portion 146 at the closed position 124-closed of thefirst track 124, sufficient to overcome the force of the spring 134 thattends to keep the lock portion in the square sized portion of the firsttrack, the lock portion is lifted out of the square portion of the firsttrack and the screw 132 is free to be moved along the first track 124 asa traveller guided by the first track of the first traveller assembly122. When the first traveller assembly 122 is moved along the firsttrack 124 away from the closed position 124-closed, the lock portion 146is large enough relative to the remainder of the first track that itmust ride on top of the first track 124 rather than in the first track.Only when the first traveller assembly 122 returns to the closedposition 124-closed will the lock portion 146, under the urging of thespring 134 or manual force applied to the lever 114, return to being inthe square portion of the first track to lock the component door system100 in its closed position.

It will therefore be readily understood by those persons skilled in theart that the present invention is susceptible of broad utility andapplication. Many embodiments and adaptations of the present inventionother than those herein described, as well as many variations,modifications and equivalent arrangements, will be apparent from orreasonably suggested by the present invention and the foregoingdescription thereof, without departing from the substance or scope ofthe present invention. Accordingly, while the present invention has beendescribed herein in detail in relation to its preferred embodiments, itis to be understood that this disclosure is only illustrative andexemplary of the present invention and is made merely for purposes ofproviding a full and enabling disclosure of the invention. The foregoingdisclosure is not intended or to be construed to limit the presentinvention or otherwise to exclude any such other embodiments,adaptations, variations, modifications and equivalent arrangements, thepresent invention being limited only by the claims appended hereto andthe equivalents thereof.

1. For a component rack having opposing first and second verticalmembers, a system comprising: a panel sized to extend between thevertical members; a first hinge having a stationary member, a mobilemember, a lever member, a first attachment member, and a secondattachment member, the stationary member configured to be coupled to thefirst vertical member, the mobile member configured to be coupled to thepanel, the stationary member having a first opening shaped to form afirst track including a first position, a second position, and a thirdposition, the stationary member having a second opening to form a secondtrack including a first position, a second position, and a thirdposition, the lever member being coupled to the mobile member throughthe first attachment member being attached to the lever member and themobile member and through the second attachment member being attached tothe lever member and the mobile member, the first attachment memberpassing through the first opening, the second attachment member passingthrough the second opening, the first track and the second track shapedso that when the first attachment member is at the first position of thefirst track, the second attachment member can go from the first positionto the second position of the second track thereby travelingsubstantially in an arc about the first attachment member while thefirst attachment member is held in the first position of the first trackby the first track and the lever member, the first track and the secondtrack shaped so that when the second attachment member is at the thirdposition of the second track, the first attachment member can go fromthe second position to the third position of the first track therebytraveling substantially in an arc about the second attachment memberwhile the second attachment member is held in the third position of thesecond track by the second track and the lever member, and a secondhinge having a stationary member, a mobile member, a lever member, afirst attachment member, and a second attachment member, the stationarymember configured to be coupled to the second vertical member.
 2. For acomponent rack having opposing first and second vertical members, asystem comprising: a panel sized to extend between the vertical members;a first hinge having a stationary member, a mobile member, a levermember, a first attachment member, and a second attachment member, thestationary member configured to be coupled to the first vertical member,the mobile member configured to be coupled to the panel, the stationarymember having a first opening shaped to form a first track, the firsttrack having a first portion with a first width and a second portionwith a second width, the first width being greater than the secondwidth, the stationary member having a second opening to form a secondtrack, the lever member being coupled to the mobile member through thefirst attachment member being attached to the lever member and themobile member and through the second attachment member being attached tothe lever member and the mobile member, the first attachment memberpassing through the first opening, the second attachment member passingthrough the second opening, the lever member having a peg portionextending from another portion of the level member, the peg portionhaving a width greater than the second width of the first track andsmaller than the first width of the first track, the lever beingpositioned so that the peg portion of the lever member is inserted intothe first portion of the first track when the first attachment member isat a first position of the first track and the peg portion is adjacentthe second portion of the first track when the first attachment memberis at a second position of the first track; and a second hinge having astationary member, a mobile member, a lever member, a first attachmentmember, and a second attachment member, the stationary member configuredto be coupled to the second vertical member, the mobile memberconfigured to be coupled to the panel, the stationary member having afirst opening shaped to form a first track, the first track having afirst portion with a first width and a second portion with a secondwidth, the first width being greater than the second width, thestationary member having a second opening to form a second track, thelever member being coupled to the mobile member through the firstattachment member being attached to the lever member and the mobilemember and through the second attachment member being attached to thelever member and the mobile member, the first attachment member passingthrough the first opening, the second attachment member passing throughthe second opening, the lever member having a peg portion extending fromanother portion of the level member, the peg portion having a widthgreater than the second width of the first track and smaller than thefirst width of the first track, the lever being positioned so that thepeg portion of the lever member is inserted into the first portion ofthe first track when the first attachment member is at a first positionof the first track and the peg portion is adjacent the second portion ofthe first track when the first attachment member is at a second positionof the first track.
 3. The system of claim 2 wherein the first hingefurther comprises a spring positioned to be compressed by a portion ofthe lever member and a portion of the first attachment member of thefirst hinge and wherein the second hinge further comprises a springpositioned to be compressed by a portion of the lever member and aportion of the first attachment member of the second hinge.